GRANTS FOR TRAINING AND REFRESHER COURSES FOR ITALIAN LANGUAGE TEACHERS OPERATING IN FOREIGN UNIVERSITIES (2619/3 E.F. 2026)

GRANTS, ALLOCATION CRITERIA, AND TIMELINES FOR USE

The aforementioned grants are awarded to public and private university institutions operating within the relevant jurisdiction that submit a request through their respective Diplomatic Representations. The grant application must outline training courses intended for Italian language teachers currently employed at local universities.

When allocating available financial resources, the following criteria and parameters will be considered:

a) Correct use of any grants received in previous years or the return of unused or improperly used funds;
b) Number of participants in the training/refresher and specialization course for university teachers of the Italian language;
c) Degree of difficulty in sourcing Italian teachers locally who are qualitatively and quantitatively adequate for the country’s needs;
d) Level of attractiveness of the Italian language in the country and the impact of the courses on the promotion of Italian culture and language;
e) The Faculty where the course is held, giving priority to courses integrated into strategic sectors (e.g., science, architecture, design, economics, food and wine);
f) Support for innovative projects aimed at utilizing new technologies (e-books, distance learning, etc.);
g) Level of bilateral relations;
h) Order of priority assigned to the request by the competent Embassy.

The congruity of the submitted request will also be taken into account.

Applications will NOT be accepted for:

Training and refresher courses taking place in Italy or outside the country of service.
The organization of curricular courses, conferences, seminars, or debates.
The coverage of participation costs for teachers attending the aforementioned initiatives.

In compliance with relevant regulations, requests for training courses aimed at university students aspiring to become Italian language teachers in the future will not be accepted. Interested students may attend as auditors but cannot be included in the participant count. Courses must be exclusively intended for Italian language teachers already operating in foreign universities.

Grants are intended to cover only a portion of the course expenses. In the appropriate form, the requesting institution must quantify the costs it can sustain independently. The institution must also provide a detailed description of the project and training needs. Any costs listed under “Other” in the budget or final report may only be covered by the grant if they pertain to the educational implementation of the course. For example, costs for refreshments, lunches, dinners, travel, and accommodation for participants are excluded.

Please note that distance learning courses allow training to reach a larger number of users with significant cost benefits. To optimize costs, classes should consist of a minimum of 15 and a maximum of 25 teachers. Institutions are encouraged to promote this type of training by grouping teachers from different universities, even across different consular districts, provided the minimum number of participants is guaranteed.

It is reiterated that funds granted are contributions and not full financing. Interested universities are informed that there is no obligation to accept the application, nor to grant the full amount requested. Assigned amounts may be equal to or lower than those proposed by the universities. Furthermore, educational projects must be feasible regardless of the final amount granted.

Timelines: Funds disbursed for training and refresher courses in F.Y. 2026 must be used by the conclusion of the Academic Year 2026-27.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR GRANT REQUESTS

Grant requests under Cap. 2619/3 must include the following documentation:

Request and Motivation Letter from the university institution;
Form A (Request Form): containing the Embassy’s opinion and a declaration of conformity to the original document;
Form B (Final Report): regarding the use of the last grant received (if applicable), including the Embassy’s opinion and a declaration of conformity.

Specific requirements for documentation:

File Size: Each file must not exceed 4MB.
University Letter: Maximum one page, summarizing the motivation for the request. It must be on the university’s official letterhead, signed by the Academic Head, and stamped with the university seal.
Form A: Must be completed in full by both the university and the Embassy.
Form B: Universities that received grants in F.Y. 2025 or in the previous five-year period (F.Y. 2020-2024) must provide a final report on the use of the last grant received. This is a mandatory condition for the granting and liquidation of new funds.

If it is not possible to produce the report for the F.Y. 2025 grant by the new application deadline, it may be sent by the end of the Academic Year (Summer 2026).

All institutions must use the attached official forms exclusively. Forms must be completed digitally without modifying the text and must include the date, stamp, and signature of the Academic Head.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION (MARCH 31, 2026)

The final deadline for this Embassy to send grant requests is March 31, 2026. To ensure correct processing and meet this deadline, interested institutions are invited to submit their applications at least one week prior to the indicated date.